Moate hails its new world champion

15-year-old Joe Ward was the toast of Westmeath over the Bank Holiday weekend after his stupendous achievement in winning a gold medal at the World Junior Boxing Championships in Armenia. Ward fulfilled his massive potential by emerging through a gruelling series of round unscathed before seeing off a home favourite in the final. The success sparked scenes of celebration in Moate over the weekend, with Ward greeted by family, friends, well-wishers and local dignitaries on his arrival home. Joe secured the gold medal last weekend when he stopped local favourite Hayk Khachatryan in the third round of the light-middleweight (70kg) final. 'I boxed brilliantly in the final. I knew I had to be at my best because (Khachatryan) had the crowd on his side,' he said. Ward boxed four times at the world championships and stopped three of his opponents, a sign that his punching power is becoming increasingly formidable. 'I am getting stronger now and becoming more mature as a boxer,' he said. 'There was a good crew waiting for me at the airport when I arrived on Sunday, and my family gave me a homecoming that day. Then there was a "welcome home" celebration for me in Moate on Monday,' he said. 'That felt very, very good. I felt like the win brought a bit of pride back to Moate,' Joe said. Humble in victory, Joe paid tribute to his coach of many years, Seamus Dorrington, whose guiding hand has steered Moate Boxing Club to an amazing run of successes this year. And now the young Westmeath fighter has his eyes set on Olympic glory in 2012 in London. Before that he aims to qualify and compete in the very first Youth Olympic Games next summer.